Butterfly Fly Away
by QueenOfTheDiamondDogs
Summary: Mac's niece is off to college but not without a heartfelt letter to her uncle.


**Butterfly Fly Away**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the familiar characters except the one I have made up, which is Rebecca.**

**Rating: K+**

**Summary: Mac's niece is off to college but not without a heartfelt letter to her uncle. Song fic. I do not claim any royalties or anything for the use of the song by Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus.**

**A/N: This story has nothing to do with my previous Rebecca story. This is a prequel to the upcoming rewrite for the story. Hope you enjoy it.**

_You tucked me in, turned out the light,  
__Kept me safe and sound at night.  
__Little girls depend on things like that.  
__  
Brushed my teeth and combed my hair,  
__Had to drive me everywhere  
__You were always there when I looked back._

All the boxes were packed, suitcase waiting in the hallway and one young woman sat on the empty bed. She looked around at the few items left in her room: photographs, sketches and a couple of posters which were scattered around the room; on top of chest of drawers, her empty desk and lilac walls.

"Bec?" A deep voice called from down the hall. "Bec. Are you ready?"

"Yes." She spoke quietly before raising her voice a little more. "Yes." Rebecca reached for her cell phone and stood up as her uncle walked into her moderate sized room. "Everything's packed." Giving him a small grin.

"I've got an idea. We don't have to leave for over an hour, how about we pack the car and then go for breakfast? My treat before you leave for Duke." Giving her a small smile and glanced around her room, making sure she hadn't left anything behind. "Are you sure you don't want to take your photographs?" His gaze catching a particular photograph of Rebecca, Clare and himself at Rebecca's first day at school. It was taken two years after he and Clare had adopted Rebecca, when her mother died from cancer.

Becca, as she liked to be called, was only 5 when her mother died. Her own father left Rebecca and her mom when Rebecca was only 2 years old. "I'll be back at Christmas." She laughed lightly. "Won't feel like home if there is hardly anything here." She moved to her desk, opening the top drawer. "I got you something. If I go out to get us breakfast, you can open it." Smiling broadly as she took out an envelope and handed it to him. "Black coffee with two sugars and a bagel."

Mac took the envelope from her outstretched hand and nodded with a smile. "Don't be too long."

"I'm only going to Vinny's which is half a block away." She chuckled as she held her hand out to him. "I'm most certainly not paying since it is your treat."

Mac gave a hearty laugh and took 10$ out of his wallet and handed her the money. "Don't be too long." He repeated himself.

"I won't." She smiled and took the money and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, before leaving the room and the apartment.

_You had to do it all alone,  
__Make a living, make a home,  
__Must have been as hard as it could have been._

_And when I couldn't sleep at night  
__Scared things wouldn't turn out right  
__You would hold my hand and sing to me._

He chuckled softly as she left and looked down at the envelope in his hands. Mac knew Rebecca was creative: she loved to write, draw and paint. When she was younger she would write stories about him and his job. He would be the policeman who would rescue the Princess, who's name was Clare. His fingers ran over the black ink of her writing. He ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter and began to read it.

_My dear Mac. I have a million words to say to you but there are two words I will say: Thank you. For as long as I can remember you have always been there for me. You've been more of a dad to me than my own father._

_Whenever I blew the candles out on my birthday cake, I made one wish: I wished you were my dad. My real dad._

_I never realised that those wishes came true. You were my dad. Not biologically but emotionally. That was all I needed and that is the truth. Thank you Mac. Thank you for being my dad._

_I love you Mac. No matter what happens I will always have you, and you will always have me._

_Thank you again and again and again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart._

_I love you._

_Becca. X x x _

He read the letter over and over again. His smile broadening at each word. His smile broadening every time he read the letter.

_Caterpillar in the tree  
__How you wonder who you'll be  
__Can't go far but you can always dream._

_Wish you may and wish you might,  
__Don't you worry, hold on tight.  
__I promise you there will come a day  
__Butterfly fly away._

He found himself sitting on the edge of her bed with the letter still in his hand. He heard the keys in the door and Rebecca had returned with their breakfast.

"Mac! I got some orange juice as well." She obviously moved into the kitchen, when he heard her place her keys on the table, along with their breakfast. "Mac?"

"I'll be right there." He called out as he stood up and made his way out into the kitchen, where his niece was setting out their breakfast.

"You read it?" She asked as she noticed the letter in his hand and poured his coffee into a mug. "You don't have to say anything." Throwing the coffee cup in the bin.

"I do." He chuckled quietly as he sat at the table, watching her lay out their breakfast of French toast and bagels. "Bec. You've always been like a daughter to me. I would not have it any other way." Standing up again and walking around the table. "I am proud to call you my daughter." Wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.

"I love you too Mac." She whispered against his shoulder as she returned the hug. "Don't ever change." Still holding on tightly to him. The tears pricking at the corners of her eyes but they soon trickled down her cheeks and onto Mac's shirt.

"Hey! Hey! Are these tears?" He asked quietly, rubbing her back in comfort before stepping back and cupping her cheeks in both of his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears. "We'll talk everyday and you'll be back at Christmas." They chuckled together with Rebecca's tears still falling down her cheeks but there was a smile on her face. "Email everyday, call when you're free. You maybe far away but with a phone call, it will seem like I am in the next room. Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded and gave another broad smile. "Let's eat before our coffees get cold." Stepping away and moving to her seat and the two of them ate and talked until it was time for the long journey south to Duke.

_Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away,  
__Flap your wings now you can't stay.  
__Take those dreams and make them all come true._

_Butterfly, fly away, butterfly fly away.  
__We've been waiting for this day,  
__All along and knowing just what to do._

_Butterfly, butterfly, butterfly, butterfly fly away._

_Butterfly fly away,_

_Butterfly fly away._

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End file.
